|
|
  Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
  
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | I had my two geldings turned out in a rather large pasture, something like a thousand acres. When they were thirsty they would long trot from the farthest corner of the pasture all the way to the water tank. I don't think long trotting should be left out of any conditioning program. They can cover a lot of ground with a good long trot. |
|
| |
|
 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
  
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | cow pie - 2015-09-06 8:06 PM I had my two geldings turned out in a rather large pasture, something like a thousand acres. When they were thirsty they would long trot from the farthest corner of the pasture all the way to the water tank. I don't think long trotting should be left out of any conditioning program. They can cover a lot of ground with a good long trot.
I agree. Just watched my mares and foals do it yesterday. I think the flies bother them so they hurry down and get a drink and hurry back to their hill where they stand and let the breeze blow. |
|
| |
|
The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | I try to do everything in moderation. Little bit of trotting, little bit of loping, little bit of walking. Nothing eliminated is good, neither is anything in excess.
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | ACEINTHEHOLE - 2015-09-02 2:27 PM
GLP - 2015-09-02 2:18 PM So, when you are just getting a horse in shape, say he has been out on pasture and hasn't been ridden in several months, what do you do to get those tendon/ligaments and bones in shape? If I decide I don't need to do a lot of trotting in the beginning, it sure would help these aging joints of mine! I just worry about making sure the tendons and ligaments are as strong as they can be before I start stressing them with smaller circles/turns.
I would start out walking 10-15 min then loping 5 minutes for 6 days a week, then up the lope to 10 minutes. I would also start out in long straight lines, if possible, only working circles once the horse was in better shape. Circles are also harder on them than straight lines. You can trot if you like, I would for sure not trot for miles though. And any vet worth their salt will tell you, on a horse that has any arthritis or any front end lameness, NOT to trot at all.. it is very hard on them! Also to get the soft tissue and bones in shape.. lope for a few minutes then burst your speed for a short distance, then back to a lope for a few minutes, then burst your speed. Ask any race trainer.. they train with speed burts to help densify the bones to prevent shin bucks and also the short periods of stress will strengthen the soft tissues as well.
My very good lameness vet told me this as well. Both my horses had some front end issues and I was told trot some but not much. Get them loose and warm with a trot then move on to the lope. The pounding of the trot is very hard on a horse especially one that already has issues. I do trot some but I lope more. |
|
| |
|
 Regular
Posts: 67
| I recently purchased a gelding with 'weak stifles'. He gets them injected once a year. The previous owner long trotted him 3x a week for about 3 or 4 miles. I only do a mile of long trotting. I know circles are not a great idea and I live on very flat land so there are no hills to be found. Is 1 mile enough and what else should I be doing with him? |
|
| |
|
 Peecans
| Our ranch horse can really get out and long trot, they can really cover ground, but when fit I dont think it "works" them. Meaning they are just as fresh when we get there and when we left, and not at all winded. I long trot a lot when I need to get some where quickly but not wear my horse out.
I walk and long trot in warm up and cool down, i think its great for them to really stretch and loosen up, but I dont think it "fits" then that much if they are in dicent shape.
Just my personal experience with our own horses. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| della - 2015-09-08 11:26 AM
Our ranch horse can really get out and long trot, they can really cover ground, but when fit I dont think it "works" them. Meaning they are just as fresh when we get there and when we left, and not at all winded. I long trot a lot when I need to get some where quickly but not wear my horse out.
I walk and long trot in warm up and cool down, i think its great for them to really stretch and loosen up, but I dont think it "fits" then that much if they are in dicent shape.
Just my personal experience with our own horses.
Same here. It's what they are conditioned for. I've had horses that could long trot all day checking cows. Lope for a mile & a half and they were completely winded.
I think long trotting has a place in getting your horse conditioned, but when you are competing in a certain event, you need to condition your horses's muscles with exercises that mimic what they will be doing in the arena (or wherever). |
|
| |
|
Peecans
| veintiocho - 2015-09-08 10:42 AM
della - 2015-09-08 11:26 AM
Our ranch horse can really get out and long trot, they can really cover ground, but when fit I dont think it "works" them. Meaning they are just as fresh when we get there and when we left, and not at all winded. I long trot a lot when I need to get some where quickly but not wear my horse out.
I walk and long trot in warm up and cool down, i think its great for them to really stretch and loosen up, but I dont think it "fits" then that much if they are in dicent shape.
Just my personal experience with our own horses.
Same here. It's what they are conditioned for. I've had horses that could long trot all day checking cows. Lope for a mile & a half and they were completely winded.
I think long trotting has a place in getting your horse conditioned, but when you are competing in a certain event, you need to condition your horses's muscles with exercises that mimic what they will be doing in the arena (or wherever ).
Yes you worded it so much better than me!
I use it as a warm up and cool down in my barrel horse, its great to stretch her out, but it dosent condition her for a race at all. |
|
| |
|
Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | IowaCanChaser - 2015-08-31 6:04 PM Would you guys breeze on a gravel road? I've always been scared the footing wouldn't be very good.
no, never. Actually, some less than scrupulous arab and morgan people I knew used to ride their horses up and down gravel roads specifically to sore them to get more action (this was years ago).
I would never, ever trot or gallop on gravel and consider that safe.
I personally do not trot much past warming up. I will throw in some trots here and there. I have some back issues though and prefer loping (since it is easier on me not to have to post). |
|
| |
|
 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | barrelracr131 - 2015-09-08 1:02 PM
IowaCanChaser - 2015-08-31 6:04 PM Would you guys breeze on a gravel road? I've always been scared the footing wouldn't be very good.
no, never. Actually, some less than scrupulous arab and morgan people I knew used to ride their horses up and down gravel roads specifically to sore them to get more action (this was years ago).
I would never, ever trot or gallop on gravel and consider that safe.
I personally do not trot much past warming up. I will throw in some trots here and there. I have some back issues though and prefer loping (since it is easier on me not to have to post).
Trotting isn't easy on my back, but lolim is actually worse. I woke up this morning super sore from the good bit of loping I did yesterday. My lower back is so tight it's hard for me to move naturally with my horse. Then I end up hurting more from tensing up. I'm too young for this lol, only 25. I inherited my mom's back and shoulders. It's annoying when you can't make your own body do what you want!! My horse was traveling flexed to the right, I realized it was bc I was riding that way, ugh. |
|
| |
|
 Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | I am on my phone & have not read thru this entire thread, so forgive me if this has already been said. I used to spend a lot of time long trotting my horses when I was younger, because it was what everyone recommended as a mainstay of any conditioning program. Now that I've spent enough years gaining trial & error experience, observations, etc. my program has changed and I don't spend much time long trotting at all. Maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile as a warmup and then the rest of my miles are at either what I call a "long lope" or a steady (not speedy) gallop. The total mileage varies depending on the horse, but generally when the horse comes back to me and starts to slow its pace on its own I will back down to a trot for another 1/4 to 1/2 mile then finish cooling out. It's not unusual for an in shape horse to gallop 2 to 4 miles before backing off on their own. This works wonders for keeping a horse mentally refreshed as well as in shape.The main reason I stopped long trotting so much is because most of my horses are in the 12 to 20 year age range, and the concussion was just plain hard on them. Often they would be ouchy and stiff the next day. Long loping & galloping keeps them looser.Also, many horses are not traveling properly when they are trotting mile after mile. Heads go up, backs hollow, front legs begin pounding down instead of striding forward, back legs start trailing instead of reaching beneath. Whether it's from the horse tiring or not knowing how to carry themselves or the rider losing position (many riders are not capable of riding a long trot for an extended time without losing form, it's more work than it seems), traveling mile after mile in bad form doesn't benefit anybody.There is a place for long trotting, but I usually reserve it for winding down a chargy youngster nowadays rather than a conditioning staple. Especially if I have a nice sandy stretch of ground. But other than that, the majority of my trot work is done in the arena or on circle work, where I can take the time to concentrate on both mine & the horse's body position. |
|
| |
|
boon
Posts: 1
| Well, this depends upon the fitness of the horse, the breed and the terrain not to mention other factors like health and age. Despite all the ‘horses are meant for riding’ crap, they’re not. They have no collarbones, no bones to support their back. Only tendons, muscles and tissues hold their spine up. Horses can only be ridden for about 20 minutes at a time before they start to get a sore back. So the question is, are you going to ride a horse at a trot for more than despite their pain, to see when they’ll collapse? source quora.com source myhorsenames.com |
|
| |
|
 Ms. Marine
Posts: 4627
Location: Texas | IowaCanChaser - 2015-08-31 4:04 PM Would you guys breeze on a gravel road? I've always been scared the footing wouldn't be very good.
That's going to be a solid no. Breezing on gravel is just asking for problems. I long trot my mare for about 4 miles and then bring her back down to lower her heart rate and cool her down. |
|
| |
|
 Zeal Queen
Posts: 3826
Location: TEXAS | Considering a barrel run takes only seconds, I think anything over a mile is over doing it. I also think it's too much on their joints. I want to save those. I ran track in college and I apply the same strategies. Sprinters only over trained by running quarters. Milers over trained by running multiple miles. Just my opinion |
|
| |
|
 Half-Eaten Cookies
Posts: 2075
Location: Fort Worth / Springtown | polorunner - 2015-08-31 2:36 PM I have always used Marlene McRae's program and it has never failed me. I agree that 2 miles really isnt much for a horse. I like my horses to be in very good condition and a 30 minute program of continuous work doesnt take a lot of time, but this program gets the job done. I dont sprint that often but I do open my horse up a few times a month for a short distance.
http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-experts/western-horse-training-advice/faster-barrel-racing-time.aspx
Having a well-conditioned athlete is the first step to getting your horse to run to his maximum ability. I like to work my horse every day for the first eight weeks of training, and then decrease the training to four days a week. The distance I train and the pace I go are the secrets to a well-conditioned horse that has the ability to run faster during a barrel racing competition.
Condition your horse in long, straight lines whenever possible, as circles are physically hard on a horse. Here is my conditioning program broken down into each step:
• Trot one mile
• Lope one mile on one lead
• Lope one more mile on the opposite lead
• The fourth mile: Long trot the first half mile then slow trot the last half mile.
NOTE: Do not walk in between paces.
This totals four miles, which I feel is the optimum distance for building a well-conditioned equine athlete in barrel racing or any event. I want to keep the heart rate up and work it, then bring the heart rate slowly back down. Every third day, I sprint my horse after the third mile in a straight line for about 400 yards.
You will be impressed how your horse’s muscle tone will change with this type of conditioning program. Before long, you will find that your horse feels like running and will be quicker around the turns and faster in the straightaways.
I remember seeing this in her pole bending DVD.....this was her warm up.....before she started working on the pole pattern. I just found reference to it in another book of hers....and she referred to it as her warm up. Interesting. |
|
| |
|
Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | Link to another trotting discussion we had here last year: Who doesn't trot their horses? |
|
| |
Folks on-line